Ball throwing accuracy training apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus to teach ball throwing accuracy comprising a pair of spaced-apart standards stretched between which is a removable guide wire having threaded thereon diametrically apertured balls adapted to be grasped for throwing along the guide wire in teaching arm movements for improved throwing accuracy. The standards are adjustable as to height to suit the height of any particular trainee to be taught.

O United States Patent 1 13,sss,134

[72] Inventor Harry H. Hoitsma [56] References Cited 7 8 Virginia Court, Wayne, NJ. {5g 3 31 3 4 1 861,506 11/1969 Doyle 273/26 [45] Patented 1971 3,042,401 7/1962 Deneger 273/95.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 374,404 4/1923 Germany 273/26 408,160 4/1934 Great Britain 273/29.l Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorney-James J. Cannon [54] BALL THROWING ACCURACY TRAINING APPARATUS 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 273/26 A63b 69/40 Field of Search 273/26, 30, 200, 95.1

ABSTRACT: Apparatus to teach ball throwing accuracy c0mprising a pair of spaced-apart standards stretched between which is a removable guide wire having threaded thereon diametrically apertured balls adapted to be grasped for throwing along the guide wire in teaching arm movements for improved throwing accuracy. The standards are adjustable as to height to suit the height of any particular trainee to be taught.

PATENTEU mas l97| INVENTORQ HRRY H. 190/ 719mg HTTOR/UE).

BALL THROWING ACCURACY TRAINING APPARATUS This invention relates to physical training aids and is directed particularly to apparatus for teaching children accuracy in ball throwing.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a training apparatus of the above nature for improving ball throwing accuracy of children beyond the accuracy ordinarily attained through maturation and general practice in ball throwing sports.

A more particular object is to provide apparatus of the above nature to provide mechanical guidance to the trainee to inculcate the flattened arm technique of throwing. i.e., a pattern of ball throwing during which the normal curve path of the throwing hand more nearly approaches the horizontal and wherein, during the course of the throw, the hand, which is approximately perpendicular to the humerus when extended and parallel to the floor, assumes a flatter, almost straight line path in the sagittal or anterior-posterior plane.

Yet other objects of the invention are to provide apparatus of the character described which is readily adjustable as to height, which can be compactly disassembled for storage, which is made a few and relatively inexpensive parts, and which will be durable in use,

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote the corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. I is a side elevational view, with a portion of the guide wire broken away, of a ball-throwing accuracy teaching apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an oblique view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the two end standards, shown separately;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the wire support standards, with portions broken away and other portions in section; I

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of one of the backboards, showing details of its attachment to the standard, and attachment of the guide wire thereto:

FIG. 5 illustrates, separately, an end portion of the interconnecting guide wire, showing the increased diameter cylindrical head at the end thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the training balls, illustrating the guide sleeve extending diametrically therethrough and through which the guide wire extends.

My ball-throwing accuracy teaching machine or apparatus is comprised, in brief, of a plurality of balls, which may be of varying weights, sizes and composition, constrained to move along a horizontal rectilinear path by means of a guide wire extending diametrically through guide sleeve in said balls and attached taut between a pair of vertical standards. The standards are adjustable in height so that the balls can be set at a height comparable to a flattened-arc toss height for each individual. That is, the balls are set parallel to the floor at throwing hand height when the trainee is standing erect, elbow joint flexed at a right angle, fingers joined and extended, with the humerus extended and parallel to the floor. The apparatus mechanically guides the trainee in his practice in throwing the balls along the cable in flattened-arc throw configuration.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I0 designates, generally, one of the ball-throwing machine standards, one being shown at each end of a guide wire 11 in FIG. 1 for supporting said guide wire in adjusted spaced, parallel disposition above the floor. Threaded on the guide wire 11 is a plurality of balls 12, said balls each being fitted with diametrically extending sleeves of metal or a tough synthetic plastic offering minimal frictional resistance with respect to the wire along which it is constrained to move. The support standards each comprises a flat base plate 13, which is preferably of steel plate and which may be quadrilateral in shape, having an upstanding front wall 14 and upstanding sidewall 15 and 16. Fitted at within the rear end of the base plate structure 13 is a comparatively thick metal plate 17 welded or otherwise secured thereto at approximately the same height as that of the sidewalls I4, 15, and 16. The plate 17 serves to add substantial weight to the standard as an aid in retaining it in fixed position on the floor upon which the apparatus is installed. The standard 10 further comprises a transverse bar 18 welded or otherwise secured upon the base plate 13 in spaced relation from the upstanding front wall 14. Centrally fixed to the transverse bar 18 is an upstanding, square, tubular post socket 19. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the rear wall of the post socket 19, near the upper end thereof, is fitted with a thumb screw 21 threadingly received in a nut 20 welded against the outside of said post socket over an aperture therein. An elongated, rectangular, tubular metal post 22 is removably received within the post socket 19, being securable thereto by means of a thumb screw 2]. The upper end of the tubular metal post 22, at the rear wall thereof, has welded thereto a nut 22a threadingly received within which and extending through an aperture in said post is a thumb screw 23. Removably telescopingly received within the upper end of the post 22 is a second rectangular tubular post 24, adjustably and removably secured with respect to the post 22 by means of a thumb screw 23. A circular backboard 25 is fixed against the front wall of the second post 24 at the upper end thereof by a pair of bolts 26, 27.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the guide wire 11 has fixed to each end a cylindrical head 28 of substantially increased diameter for removably attaching the ends of the wire between the stan dards 10. To this end the circular backboards 25 are centrally drilled, and the adjacent opposite wall portions of their respective posts 24 are also drilled with through openings large enough to receive the cylindrical head portions 28 of the guide wire 11. As best illustrated in FIG. 4 and as a means for retaining the guide wire ends captive in their respective standards, each standard is provided with a lock plate 30 pivotally secured with respect to a backwall portion of its post 24 by a pivot pin 31 and having at its outer end a notch 32. The lock plate 30 is so arranged and positioned above the through opening 29, and the notch is so shaped that when the lock plate is moved down over the guide wire 11 placed therethrough and behind the cylindrical head 28, said head will be prevented from passing forwardly through the backboard 25, thereby securing it in place.

As a means for preventing inadvertent removal of the rectangular post 24 and its associated backboard 25 from the elongated post 22 in adjustment of theapparatus as to height, a chain 33 is provided, said chain being secured between an eyelet 34 fixed to the upper end of said elongated post at the front wall thereof and being provided at its other end with a cotter pin 35 or the like removably received in an opening 36 in the post 24 just below its backboard 25. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,weighted boxes 38 are preferably provided, to be placed upon the rear plates 17 of the standards for more securely anchoring them at their placed positions upon the floor during use of the apparatus.

While there is illustrated and described herein only one form in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that this embodiment is presented by way of example only and not in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

l. A ball-throwing apparatus comprising in combination, a pair of standards, each having a base and an upstanding tubular post structure, said post structure comprising a first tubular post and a second tubular post telescopically received in said first post, and means for adjustably securing said second post with respect to said first post, a guide wire, means removably attaching the ends of said guide wire, one each, with respect to upper end portions of said tubular post structures, and a ball having a diametrical through opening through which said guide wire is threaded for constraining said ball to substantially rectilinear movement along said guide wire when said guide wire is stretched between said standards, wherein said guide wire attachment means comprises a vertically disposed backboard affixed to the upper end of said second tubular post member, a traverse opening through said backboard member,

2. A hall-throwing training apparatus as defined in claim L including a plurality of balls threaded along said guide wire. each hall having a diametrically extending antifriction sleeve through which said guide wire extends. 

1. A ball-throwing apparatus comprising in combination, a pair of standards, each having a base and an upstanding tubular post structure, said post structure comprising a first tubular post and a second tubular post telescopically received in said first post, and means for adjustably securing said second post with respect to said first post, a guide wire, means removably attaching the ends of said guide wire, one each, with respect to upper end portions of said tubular post structures, and a ball having a diametrical through opening through which said guide wire is threaded for constraining said ball to substantially rectilinear movement along said guide wire when said guide wire is stretched between said standards, wherein said guide wire attachment means comprises a vertically disposed backboard affixed to the upper end of said second tubular post member, a traverse opening through said backboard member, an increased diameter head member affixed at each end of said guide wire, said head members being receivable through said opening, and releaseable latch means at the back of said backboard for preventing withdrawal of said head member from said opening.
 2. A ball-throwing training apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a plurality of balls threaded along said guide wire, each ball having a diametrically extending antifriction sleeve through which said guide wire extends. 